NTK leader Seeman walks off stage amid chaos in TN's Villupuram protest meeting

Chennai, Aug 17 (IANS) A dramatic scene unfolded at a Naam Thamizhar Katchi (NTK) public meeting in Senji, Villupuram district, on Sunday when the party’s chief coordinator Seeman abruptly walked off the stage, sparking confusion among supporters and onlookers.

The meeting had been organised by NTK to protest against UNESCO’s recognition of Senji Fort, a historic landmark.

Party members argued that the fort was being attributed to the Marathas, which they claimed amounted to the erasure of Tamil history and heritage.

Addressing a large gathering, Seeman spoke strongly against what he described as a “distortion” of Tamil identity in historical narratives.

The situation, however, took a chaotic turn when local journalists approached Seeman for comments while he was on stage.

NTK’s security personnel reportedly tried to block the media from reaching him, leading to an altercation.

Witnesses said the scuffle created tension in the crowd, drawing the attention of police officers who were present at the venue to oversee security arrangements.

Believing that a clash had erupted between police and his own security team, Seeman appeared visibly alarmed.

In a sudden move, he rushed off the stage, leaving the gathering stunned.

His hurried exit triggered a commotion among party members and supporters, who scrambled to understand the situation. When questioned later, NTK functionaries sought to downplay the incident.

They explained that Seeman had misunderstood the scene as a potential confrontation between police and NTK personnel. The dramatic walkout overshadowed the purpose of the meeting, which had been called to highlight NTK’s opposition to the official narrative of Senji Fort’s origins.

The party has long maintained that the historic fort stands as a symbol of Tamil pride, and attributing its construction to the Marathas undermines the region’s heritage.

Despite the disruption, NTK leaders vowed to continue their campaign against what they call attempts to “rewrite Tamil history".

The incident, however, has once again underlined the volatile atmosphere surrounding Tamil identity politics in the state.

--IANS

aal/pgh